Appearance: Pours a beautiful, completely opaque, pitch-black color, highlighted with some dark reddish hues and a quarter of a finger of caramel/chocolate-colored head that almost immediately dissolved away into a halo of foam that gripped the sides of the glass.

Taste: A lot like the aroma. Tons of roasted malt and coffee up front, like a triple espresso with a cappuccino chaser, drunk with toasted pumpernickel, accented with some subtle smoke, followed by tons of dark chocolate, sour cherries and a touch of vanilla and almond-like nuttiness. Delicious!!

Mouthfeel: Chewy and pretty smooth, but not as smooth as the Imperial Biscotti Break. With an ABV of 11.5%, there’s a hint of alcohol warmth on the palate, but I’m surprised that there’s not more of it present.